parabolic dish collector

Parabolic dish collector with a mirror-like reflectors
and an absorber at the focal point. Image courtesy of SunLabs, Dept.
of Energy

A parabolic dish collector is a concentrating solar collector that is similar in appearance to a large satellite dish, but has mirror-like
reflectors and an absorber at the focal point. A parabolic dish system uses
a computer and dual-axis tracking to follow the Sun across the sky and concentrate
the Sun's rays onto the receiver located at the focal point in front of
the dish. In some systems, a heat engine, such as a Stirling
engine, is linked to the receiver to generate electricity. Parabolic
dish systems can reach 1000°C at the receiver, and achieve the highest efficiencies
for converting solar energy to electricity in the small-power capacity range.